This is an open and unfiltered diary-style journal
on the life of James Robert Smith.
This blog will contain sometimes graphic experiences (both beautiful and ugly),
sometimes stark insight, and all honest and factual documentation of dreams, diet, activity, and thoughts.
Ana makes us Blueberry Waffles from scratch. We get into a
semi-sensitive discussion about the roles of male and female – and how gender
stereotypes won’t ever go away but they differ from person to person.
I hole up in my room for a while communicating with a
thousand people – parents/students about finalizing MMLIVE things – the
Fleetwood band about doing a Smartmouth show in October.
Ana and I get groceries from Whole Foods and Kroger.
Then, grabbing some very late lunch at Pink Dinghy.
Then, we decide to practice some music at the studio. We
agreed to do a small Smartmouth show for their 8th year anniversary.
It’s been a while since we’ve done a Musicplayer gig but we need a goal to
motivate us into playing again.
Back home. Ana cooks us a late dinner: a big pot of
Vegetable Soup with Quinoa.
I share that Social
Dilemma documentary with her.
Then, I ride my bike down to the oceanfront. There’s high
winds pushing and pulling at me making it a challenge. I guess the hurricane
winds from down south are hitting us.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Another workout session with Vlad.
Vega Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Spinach. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. I feel truly on my game
today in regards to teaching in the lesson room but also managing things out
front. We had a few new students today – gotta make them feel welcome and safe
here.
Off work. Ana and I hit up Guad’s for dinner. All our
favorite places close on Mondays and there’s nothing to cook at home.
Tuna Tacos with Chips and Guac.
Meeting up with the ELO band practicing the sets. We
actually have a show coming up in October.
For the past couple days I’ve had an extremely sore neck. It
happened after a night’s sleep where I possibly slept on it wrong.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Raisins, and Almond Milk. Breakfast
Tea.
Teaching afternoon lessons at Music Makers.
Proud of Grace and Jackson, longtime piano students of mine.
They graduated from a Level 2 piano book today via virtual lessons.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar
Chips with Avocado. Coffee.
Watching Away
(2020).
Catching up on business and chores. Vacuuming dust around a
book shelf downstairs.
Leftover Pizza and Kale Salad for dinner.
Meeting up with Josiah, Elliott, and Josh for a band
practice. Things don’t vibe well musically tonight. Josh, for some reason can’t
keep it together with tempo and parts. A couple units down from us a loud
thrash drummer hammers on and on while we try to conduct some sort of practice.
Ana and I hit up Commune for brunch: Waffles, Blueberries,
Sausage, and Coffee.
Catching up on all kinds of business.
Melon. Peanut Butter Toast.
Ana and I hit up the One Life gym. She had a membership her
mom bought her. I get in as a guest. It’s somewhat crowded but the facility is
so spacious it doesn’t matter. They’ve got the treadmills set up every other
closed off. Running a little bit then doing core exercises.
Later on, we check out The Pink Dinghy for dinner for the
first time. It’s sprinkling out but really nice. We are wowed by the Empanadas!
Green Tea.
Later on at Music Makers. Ana and I jam in the waiting room,
switching up on guitar and drums.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Another workout session with Vlad.
Vega Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar
Chips with Avocado.
At Music Makers teaching a few lessons but mainly watching
the front desk. Rachel wasn’t able to come in today. I take the opportunity to
catch up on communications with people – prepping for MMLIVE.
Back home. Warming up leftovers for dinner.
Watching Away
(2020).
Chores.
Playing DOOM.
Sleep next to Ana but first we make late night fire.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business.
Cleaning up a messy area in one of the lesson rooms where we
have a bunch of power cords hanging.
Scrambled Eggs. Biscuit with Butter and Jam. Orange
Honeydew. Cold Brew Coffee.
Watching Away
(2020).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. It’s somewhat of a hectic
day since the kids started public school back, virtually though.
Off work. Ana and I grab some Bangkok Garden for dinner:
Chicken Pad Thai with Broccoli and Spring Rolls.
She puts on an episode of Sister, Sister (1994).
Composing a mass email for Music Makers to promote fall
MMLIVE session.
Later on, at the studio. I organize things while Ana plays
guitar in the waiting room. We’ve both been eager to play music. I don’t know
why I haven’t really sat down and played in a while.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Another workout session with Vlad.
Vega Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Biscuit with Butter and Jam. Popped Chips.
Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. It’s a light day of
teaching but also doing a lot of planning and coordinating.
Back home. Ana started roasting some veggies. She’s
preoccupied on the phone with Erica so I take over the rest of dinner. Cooking
Vegan Burgers with Cauliflower, Carrots, Onions, and Corn Tortilla Chips.
“What’re we gonna do? Just watch each other while we eat?”
Ana exclaims insinuating we should watch a show or a movie.
“Exactly!” I respond. “We’re entertaining enough to watch.”
Waking up around 10:30 a.m. Elvis lies on our stomachs and
backs asking for cuddles.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. Black Tea.
Ana and I decide to attend church at Freedom Fellowship for
the 11 o’clock service. I’ve been meaning to go for a long while now. It
definitely would’ve made mom happy. She was always trying to get me to go to
church during the days we didn’t do rock school.
...
Pastor Rick preaches on stirring up purpose and how people
tend to seek out satisfaction in so many different things in life all the while
not realizing their true purpose. So many good relatable points he makes and
all along with down-to-earth humor. I’ve been really emotional this weekend for
some reason so all of this mixed in the music I really feel all the feels.
Afterwards, Ana and I hit up Three Ships for their new Kale
Melts and Cold Brew Coffees. Sitting out on the patio under those black and
white striped umbrellas talking about everything.
Back home. Catching up on business. Power napping.
Playing some pickup basketball.
Ana and I warm up a mix of leftovers and other things for
dinner: Jackfruit/Tempeh with Kale, Carrots, Rice, and Veggie Pot Stickers.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. Breakfast Tea.
Teaching a few afternoon lessons.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Leftover Potatoes
and Veggies. Cold Brew Coffee.
Watching this new Netflix series called Away (2020). And it has me bawling my eyes out. I didn’t know a
space drama could do that.
Catching up on business and chores.
Supposed to have an early Ladada band practice tonight at 8
p.m. I bring Pizza to share. With Josiah, Elliott, and Josh McHugh on drums.
We’re jamming with Josh for fun and to keep the momentum going. It’s been quite
a number of years since I played music with him. He breaks about 10 sticks
throughout the night from hitting the drums so hard. Hanging outside in the
parking lot for a long while – he has plenty of humorous work stories to tell.
Elliott and I discover a fig tree and rosemary bush nearby. I pick off a few
ripe figs.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Meeting with Vlad for another training session. He notices a
difference in my arms in the way they look and how I’m lifting – much
improvement.
Vega Protein Shake.
The maintenance guy drops by to investigate why all of a
sudden the shower is causing a leak in the ceiling. He figures out a small
damaged O ring was the culprit so every time the shower function was turned on
it caused pressure to the water and sprayed behind the wall.
Ana and I drive out to Norfolk to enjoy some lunch at Café
Stella.
Egg, Ham, and Tomato English Muffin. Cold Brew Coffee.
Then, checking out Less Than, a new store that opened up
offering refills on every household cleaning imaginable and offering all these
sustainable things. It’s really cool. You bring in your own containers and
simply refill rather than constantly buying detergent and cleaners in single
use bottles and containers. I love this concept!
Back home. Organizing things.
At Lynnhaven Park playing a few pickup games of basketball.
Competing with dudes I’ve never played with before. They keep calling me Larry
(Larry Bird) cause of all these hook and long range shots.
Afterwards, I get the pleasure of being able to take a
shower in the newly renovated shower and it’s awesome. I know mom would’ve been
pleased to see this if she were still around. I hated her having to use that
dirty shower all the time.
Back home. Ana and I cook dinner: leftover Beans with
leftover Vegetables and Rice.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business.
I hired some detailing dudes to wash/detail mom’s truck.
It’s amazing what a difference it makes – looking all shiny and new. I know mom’s
smiling down from above.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Spinach. Salt n
Vinegar Chips. Cold Brew Coffee.
Watching World’s Most
Wanted (2020).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Back home. Ana’s cooking dinner while Erica visits. Meanwhile,
the boys and I were all excited to use the newly renovated shower and come to
find out after Roland starts a shower the ceiling in the dining room starts
leaking and pockets of water form. Hm...this
looks familiar. We’ve been through this debacle a few other times in the
past. But man, it feels like we can’t catch a break in this house. It’s just
one thing after the other!
Cleaning up the kitchen and other chores.
Playing with Elvis in Ana’s room.
Her and I get into another misunderstanding. Sleeping it
off.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business and chores.
Getting some groceries from Whole Foods.
Hard Boiled Eggs with Spinach, Beets, and Tomatoes. Cinnamon
Raisin Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese. Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Back home. Ana and I warm up leftovers. Watching The Karate Kid Part II (1986).
Chillin’ with Ana in her bedroom. She had some things to
vent to me about in regards to her band and how that broken window incident
makes her afraid when driving in Norfolk. At some point we get into a little
argument but we sort it out by the end.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business and emails and printing – there’s
always a lot to manage on the 1st of the month.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar
Chips with Avocado. Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. It’s a pretty easy going
day since I only have two lessons. Haley, my hour long one, is always a
draining one but in a positive way. She’s so talented and hyper active in her
mind.
Playing a few pick-up basketball games out by Lynnhaven
Park. The game becomes a never-ending game after a while cause we make it a
“win by 2” scenario. My team scores then the other team scores. Back and forth.
It almost lasts an hour. I’m not given the ball too much besides a few easy
layups. During games like this I focus on my defense and setting screens for
the scorers. All the sweating and hard work pays off cause we make it out with
a victory.
Back home. Ana cooked dinner: Tempeh Jackfruit BBQ Wraps
with Spinach and Corn on the Cob. Simple meals I love.
